By Diversity Jobs
Is teaching High School is something you would be interested in? This English Teacher from an inner-city high school explains what her work means to her and everything you’d want to know about this job. This is a true career story as told to ‘DiversityJobs.com street smart’ – a collection of true work-life stories told by members of minority groups (including women) from Counselor to Quality Monitor and everything in between.
What is your job title and what industry do you work in? How many years of experience do you have in that field?
I am a high school English teacher. I’ve been teaching for 10 years.
Would you describe the things you do on a typical day?
On a typical day, I plan lessons, meet with students and colleagues and teach my classes. Some days also include staff meetings or professional development workshops.
What’s your ethnicity and gender? How has it hurt or helped you? If you ever experienced discrimination, how have you responded and what response worked best?
I am a Hispanic woman. Because I teach at an inner-city high school, with a student population made up entirely of Hispanic and African-American students, my ethnicity and gender helped me earn my students’ trust and even respect. Being Hispanic also helped me get the job since my supervisor felt that I would be a positive role model for the students.
Do you speak any language other than English? If so, how has it helped you in your job?
I am fluent in Spanish. Being able to speak Spanish has allowed me to earn the trust of those students who speak Spanish as a native language.
On a scale of 1 to 10 how would you rate your job satisfaction? What would it take to increase that rating?
On a scale of 1 to 10, I would rate my job satisfaction an 8. Better pay and a lighter work-load would increase the rating.
What did you learn the hard way in this job and how did that happen?
I learned the hard way that getting a group of teenagers under control so that they can actually complete a lesson takes a lot more than just being louder than them. It took me a while, and the advice of veteran teachers whom I respected, to be able to take control of my classes.
What don’t they teach in school that would’ve been helpful to you?
I do not think they teach you true classroom control in school, or more to the point how to handle teenage students. It takes personality and learning to develop relationships with your students no matter how different they might seem from you.
How did you get started in this line of work? If you could go back and do it differently, what would you change?
I fell into teaching. I had just finished my master’s degree in Creative and Professional Writing and had no clue what I was going to do for a living. Someone suggested teaching, and I looked into it. Ten years later, I’m still teaching. If I could go back and do it differently, I would complete some education classes before starting to teach.
What’s the strangest thing that ever happened to you in this job?
I’m sure there have been many strange things that have happened to me on the job, but I just cannot recall one right now!
On a good day when things are going well, can you give an example of something that really makes you feel good?
This might seem cliché, but on a good day when everything is perfect, the thing that makes me feel really good is being able to reach a particular student. When I see in my student’s face that she got a new concept or finally understood something she had been struggling with, that is an awesome feeling.
When nothing seems to go right, what kind of snafus do you handle and what do you dislike the most?
Those days when nothing seems to go right are tough. Students get into fights, copies do not arrive on time and I have to cover classes on my planning periods. I hate having to deal with fights in the middle of a class. You basically lose a whole period no matter how quickly the fight is broken up.
How stressful is your job? Are you able to maintain a comfortable or healthy work-life balance?
Teaching is a high-stress job. When I first began teaching, I was single and giving too much of myself emotionally. Over the years, I learned to balance work and life. Now that I have children, it is easier to deal with stress because I have to be emotionally there for my children. Sometimes that is enough to make me leave the stress behind. Doing yoga or taking a walk also helps me on particularly bad days.
What’s a rough salary range for the position you hold? Are you paid enough considering your responsibilities?
Salaries for teachers vary from state to state, but a rough salary range is $35,000 to $75,000, depending on experience and education. I would love to be paid more than I currently earn, but I’m satisfied with my pay.
What’s the most rewarding moment you’ve experienced in this position? Of all the things you’ve done at work, what are you most proud of?
The most rewarding moment I have experienced so far is the day a struggling student gave me a framed copy of a poem she had written. She dedicated the poem to me because she felt I had helped her, not just with school but with her life. She was a brilliant student, but she had been struggling for a long time. I still have it on my wall next to my desk. It reminds me every time I look at it just how important and complex my job is.
What’s the most challenging moment you’ve experienced? What would you prefer to forget?
My most challenging moment is also the one I wish to forget about. I had to deal with a violent student who tried to intimidate me. He was not a student in my class, but we had had run-ins since he liked to disrupt my class. One day, he broke into my classroom while no one was there and used graffiti to post threats to me all over the walls. He also destroyed many of my supplies and books. Interestingly, he signed his name on the threats! It was a scary moment, and it really made me think twice about continuing as a teacher. He was expelled and I never had to see him again.
What education and skills do you need to get hired and succeed in this field?
You need at least a bachelor’s degree to get hired as well as state certification. In many states, you need to have completed a teacher preparation program. I was hired under an alternative certification program, so all of my education classes came after I was already teaching. I do not believe that completing a teacher preparation program necessarily makes someone a better teacher, but it definitely helps to prepare the person for what to expect. More than anything I think being someone with a well-rounded education and a desire to continue learning are the things that make a good teacher.
What would you tell a friend considering your line of work?
If a friend was considering teaching, I would tell her that it is hard work but incredibly fulfilling. Teaching is one of those rare jobs where no matter how bad the day seems, something good happens every day.
How much vacation do you take? Is it enough?
Vacation time is great. We have about 12 weeks a year, eight of those in the summer. We also get all federal, state and city holidays. I definitely cannot complain about the vacation time.
Are there any common misunderstandings you want to correct about what you do?
I think many people still have the misconception that teaching is easy. Teaching is a really challenging job.
Does this job move your heart? If not, what does?
My job really does move my heart. It is not an easy job, and sometimes I want to run away and leave it behind. But every summer, I look forward to starting a new teaching year. That is how I know I am still in love with teaching.
If you could write your own ticket, what would you like to be doing in five years?
If I could write my own ticket, in five years I would love to take a sabbatical and travel with my family. It would refresh my mind and my life.
Is there anything unique about your situation that readers should know when considering your experiences or accomplishments?
I did not set out to be a teacher. I was going to be a famous writer. But obviously that is a lot harder in reality than in dreams. I flirted with the writing profession doing technical writing before trying out teaching. I hated technical writing. I could not find a way to feel passionate about what I was doing. But when I started teaching, it just clicked for me. As hard as my first year was, I would not change anything. I think that tumultuous first year of teaching was my true education. My master’s degree in Secondary Education, which I earned after I started teaching, cannot compare to the experiences that molded me during my first year as a teacher.
About Diversity Jobs
DiversityJobs.com is a job search engine focused on helping the minority audience find job listings from company career pages, other job boards, newspapers and associations. With one search, we help you find the job with your name on it.
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